Volcano on Uninhabited Galapagos Island Erupts, Sends Lava Flowing to Sea

A volcano located on an uninhabited island within the Galapagos archipelago has commenced its eruption, illuminating the night sky as molten lava cascades down its slopes toward the ocean.

The eruption of La Cumbre volcano on Fernandina island started around midnight on Saturday, marking a potentially significant event according to Ecuador's Geophysical Institute, possibly the largest eruption since 2017. This 4,842-foot (1,476-meter) volcano had previously erupted in 2020.

Images captured by visitors to the Galapagos and shared on social media depict the volcano silhouetted against a vivid crimson evening sky. Although the eruption does not pose a threat to human safety, the island is home to various species, including iguanas, penguins, and flightless cormorants. In 2019, scientists discovered a giant tortoise on the island, thought to be extinct for over a century.

La Cumbre volcano stands out as one of the most active in the Galapagos Island chain, renowned globally for its role in inspiring 19th-century British scientist Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.